Real-time equipment control is useful for developers of software applications that control the equipment because there are times when valuable resources may be at risk if the equipment cannot be operated in real-time. Operating in real-time means that when a software application instructs the equipment to take an action, the action is taken in as close to real-time as possible, without preemption. Thus, the software application can include, for example, an emergency stop command that stops the equipment in real-time. Accordingly, if a robot controlled by such software is swinging a heavy instrument in the direction of a person, the robot can be stopped in real-time by the emergency stop command, eliminating the risk of harm.